Neck Training Harness: 6 exercises, how to set it up and a weekly plan
By Flexi Muscles — 26 October 2026 · 9 min read
A neck training harness is a padded strap that sits on your head, with a chain that holds a weight plate or clips to a cable or band. Use it for slow neck extensions, flexions and side raises: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, two or three times a week. Start with a 2.5kg or 5kg plate, whatever you lift elsewhere.
Why neck training matters, and who needs it
Your neck holds up a head that weighs roughly 4.5–5kg, and in contact sport it has to stop that head from snapping around in a tackle or a punch. Squats, deadlifts and rows barely train it. Shrugs train the upper traps, but not the muscles that move the head forwards, backwards and sideways.
The muscles you're training
- Front: the sternocleidomastoid, the two thick bands running from behind your ears to your collarbone. They tuck your chin and turn your head.
- Back: the splenius and the upper trapezius, which pull your head back and hold it upright.
- Sides: the scalenes and parts of the muscles above, which tilt your ear towards your shoulder.
Who benefits most
Rugby players, especially front rowers, and boxers, MMA fighters, wrestlers and judoka. Motorsport drivers and cyclists who spend hours holding their heads up against force benefit too. Lifters who want a thicker neck to match their shoulders are the other big group.
Our view: if you play a contact sport, neck training belongs in your programme every week, not as an afterthought. A study of 6,704 high school athletes found that for every pound (about 0.45kg) of extra neck strength, the odds of concussion dropped by 5%. That's a link rather than proof that training prevents concussion. But a few sets a week is a small price for it.
How to fit and load a neck training harness
- Loosen every strap first. Put the wide pad across your forehead and the strap over the top of your head.
- Tighten the straps. It should feel snug, like a cap one size too small. If it slides when you nod, tighten it more.
- Check the chain hangs evenly. Both carabiners should clip to the D-rings at the same height, so the load pulls straight.
- Load the plate. Thread the chain through the hole of a weight plate and clip it back on itself. With our harness's 76.2cm chain, a plate hangs well below your chin when you sit on a bench.
Loading options
- Weight plates. The classic. Small jumps of 1.25–2.5kg make progress easy. Our weight plates guide covers which plates to buy.
- Cable machine. Clip the chain to a low or mid-height cable. The resistance stays even through the whole movement.
- Resistance band. For home training without plates, loop a band around a sturdy post at head height and clip the chain to it. Step further away to add tension.
- Dumbbell or kettlebell. Thread the chain through the handle if you don't have plates.
Warm up first: four hand-resisted holds
Never start a neck session cold. These no-equipment neck strengthening exercises take two minutes and double as a beginner's first week.
- Front: palm on your forehead. Push your head into your hand without letting it move. Hold 10 seconds.
- Back: hands clasped behind your head. Push back into them. Hold 10 seconds.
- Each side: palm against the side of your head. Push your ear into your hand. Hold 10 seconds per side.
Push at about half effort, twice through. Then do 10 slow nods, 10 slow ear-to-shoulder tilts and 10 gentle turns side to side.
6 neck harness exercises
For every exercise: move slowly, about two seconds up and two seconds down. Stop just short of your full range, and never jerk the weight.
- Seated neck extension. Sit on the end of a bench, hands on your knees, chest leaning forward. Let your chin drop towards your chest, then lift your head until you're looking straight ahead. Trains the back of the neck. Start here.
- Standing neck extension. Hinge forward at the hips with your hands on your thighs and back flat. Same movement as the seated version, but your upper back works to hold the position.
- Lying neck flexion. Lie face-up on a bench with your head just off the end. Hold the plate on your forehead with your hands, or hang it from the harness. Tuck your chin to your chest, then lower slowly. Trains the front of the neck. Use about half the weight of your extensions.
- Lying side raise. Lie on your side on a bench with your head off the end. Lift your ear towards the ceiling, then lower. Do both sides. Use the lightest load of all.
- Cable neck flexion. Sit facing away from a cable at head height, chain clipped to it. Tuck your chin to your chest against the cable.
- Cable neck extension. Sit facing the cable and lean forward slightly. Pull your head back against it.
The front and sides are always weaker than the back. If you can do 20kg extensions but only 5kg flexions, that's normal. Train all three directions, not just the one that looks best on Instagram.
A neck harness workout for every level
Beginner: weeks 1–4
Twice a week, after your main session.
- Warm-up holds, twice through
- Seated neck extension: 2 × 20 with a 2.5–5kg plate
- Lying neck flexion: 2 × 15 with bodyweight only or a 2.5kg plate
- Lying side raise: 2 × 15 per side with bodyweight only
Intermediate: weeks 5–12
Two or three times a week.
- Seated or standing neck extension: 3 × 15–20
- Lying neck flexion: 3 × 15
- Lying side raise: 3 × 12–15 per side
- Finish with 3 × 15 seconds of each warm-up hold, pushing harder
Advanced
Add one set to each exercise, swap to cable versions for steady tension, and add 1.25–2.5kg when every rep of every set is smooth. Keep reps at 12 or more. The neck responds well to higher reps, and there's little reason to go heavy and low.
Planning neck training around your sport's season
Most neck guides give you one routine and leave it there. Contact-sport athletes need to fit neck work around matches and sparring, so here's how the load should change through the year.
| Phase | Sessions a week | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Off-season | 3 | Build strength and size. Add weight steadily, all three directions. |
| Pre-season | 2–3 | Keep the weight, add harder isometric holds to match contact. |
| In season | 1–2 | Maintain. Two sets per direction, never within 48 hours of a match. |
| After a knock | 0 | Stop. Return only when a doctor has cleared you, starting with hand holds. |
For rugby players in South Africa, that usually means building through the summer off-season and maintaining from the start of club rugby. Boxers and fighters can use a fight camp the same way: build early in camp, maintain in the last two weeks.
Safety, and when not to use a harness
- You have neck pain, numbness or pins and needles in your arms. See a doctor or physio first. Loading a nerve problem makes it worse.
- You've had a recent concussion or whiplash. Wait for medical clearance, then rebuild with hand-resisted holds.
- You get dizzy or a headache during a set. Stop and don't push through it.
- You want to go heavy fast. Neck strains happen when people treat it like a deadlift. If you can't control the lowering, the weight is too heavy.
A harness is also the wrong tool for adding weight to pull-ups or dips; that's what a weighted pull-up belt is for. For grips, straps and other small kit, browse our fitness accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight should I use on a neck harness?
Start with a 2.5kg or 5kg plate, even if you lift heavy elsewhere. Aim for 15 to 20 slow, controlled reps. Add 1.25 to 2.5kg only when every rep of every set feels smooth. Most people never need more than 15 to 20kg.
How often should I train my neck?
Two or three times a week, at the end of a session or on a separate day. The neck recovers fairly quickly from light, high-rep work, but avoid heavy neck training the day before a match or a hard sparring session.
Does neck training reduce concussion risk?
Stronger necks are linked to fewer concussions. A study of 6,704 high school athletes found the odds of concussion dropped by 5% for every pound of extra neck strength. That shows a link, not proof that training prevents concussions, but it is a good reason for contact-sport athletes to train the neck.
Will a neck harness make my neck bigger?
It can. The neck muscles grow like any other muscle when you train them regularly with enough resistance. Expect slow change: a few centimetres over months, not weeks.
Can I use a neck harness for neck pain?
Not without advice. Neck pain, pins and needles, numbness or headaches need a doctor or physio first. Once you have the all-clear, a physio may use light harness or band work as part of a rehab programme.